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The Causes And Effects Of Cholera Among Children
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Cholera
is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium
Vibrio cholerae 01 and 0139( Riyan 2004 & WHO 2010). The main
symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission is
primarily through consuming contaminated drinking water or food. The
severity of the diarrhea and vomiting can lead to rapid dehydration and
electrolyte imbalance. Every year there is an estimated 3-5 million
cholera cases and 100,000-120,000 deaths due cholera. The short
incubation period of two to five days, enhance the potentially explosive
pattern of out breaks (Faruque 2008 and WHO 2010). Cholera transmission
is closely linked to inadequate environmental management. Typical
at-risk areas include peri-urban slums, where basic infrastructure is
not available, as well as camps for internally displaced people or
refugees, where minimum requirements of clean water and sanitation are
not met. The consequences of a disaster – such as disruption of water
and sanitation systems, or the displacement of populations to inadequate
and overcrowded camps – can increase the risk of cholera transmission
should the bacteria be present or introduced.
Epidemics have never
arisen from dead bodies. Cholera remains a global threat to public
health and a key indicator of lack of social development. Recently, the
reemergence of cholera has been noted in parallel with the
ever-increasing size of vulnerable populations living in unsanitary
conditions (Emch 2008 and WHO, 2010).
Two serogroups of v. cholera –
01 and 0139 – causes out breaks (Alexander 2008). v. cholera 01 causes
the majority of outbreak, while 0139 -first indentified in Bangladash
in 1992 –is confined to South-East Asia. Non-01 and non-0139 v. cholera
can cause mild diarrhea but dot not generate epidemics. The bacteria are
transmitted via contaminated drinking water or food. Pathogenic v.
cholera can survive refrigeration and freezing in food supplies. (Reildl
et al 2002) The dosage of bacteria required to cause an infection in
healthily volunteers via oral administration of living vibrios is
greater than 1000 organisms (Hartely 2006 ). After consuming an
antacid, however, cholera development in most volunteers after
consumption of only 100 cholera vibrios experiments also show that
vibrios consumed with food are more likely to cause infection than those
from water alone (Finkelstein 1996). Cases tend to be clustered by
location as well as season, with most infections occurring in children
ages 1-5 years (WHO 2010).
Cholera is severe water-born infectious
disease caused by the bacterium vibrio cholerae. In 2005, 131,943
cases including 2,272 deaths have notified from 52 countries. The year
was marked by a particular significant series of outbreaks in West
Africa, which affected 14 countries and accounted for 58% of all cholera
cases world-wide (WHO 2006). In the same year Nigeria had 4,477 cases
and 174 deaths. There was reported case of cholera in 2008 in Nigeria in
which 429 death out of 6,330 cases. More so, 2,304 cases in Niger State
in which 114 were reported death in 2008 (NBS 2009). Recent years have
seen a strong trend of cholera outbreak in developing countries,
including among others, those in India (2007), Iraq (2008), Congo
(2008), Zimbabwe (2008-2009), Haiti (2010), Kenya (2010). Koko in Edo
State (1989). In Nigeria, according to UN figure, 1,555 people have died
since January and 38,173 cases have been reported. The figure is more
than four times the death toll the government reported in August
(Guardian. 2010)
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]This research work was designed to examine and analyze the causes and effects of cholera during raining season in Benin City. Seven (7) research questions were formulated and questionnaires were administered to one hundred and fifty (150) respondents in order to gather data for the research. Results showed that poor environment sanitation leads to cholera outbreak, washing of hands before eating helps to prevent or reduce the cholera outbreak, also drinking and bathing with contaminated water le ... Continue reading---
